Rwandans have made the greatest gains in life expectancy in the last decade, the World Bank has said.

The bank said in its Africa Development Indicators (ADI) 2007 released on Wednesday in Johannesburg, South Africa, that Rwanda and her neighbour Uganda have registered 12 and 7 years increment respectively.

‘Conversely, life expectancy has decreased by 21 years in Botswana, 17 years in Lesotho, and 16 years in Swaziland,’ the bank said in a statement.

Rwanda’s life expectancy in 2001 stood at 38.99 years (total population), with male expected to for 38.35 years against 39.65 years for female.

Currently, Rwanda’s average life expectancy is at around 52.73 years in a period of six years. 

The ADI also show that there has been solid economic performance across Africa over the past decade.

The report indicates that overall investment in Africa increased from 16.8 percent of GDP to 19.5 percent of GDP between 2000 and 2006.

It also indicates that average growth in the Sub-Saharan economies was 5.4 percent in 2005 and 2006, and the consensus projections are that growth will remain strong.

Obiageli Ezekwesili, the World Bank Vice President for the Africa Region, said that over the past 10 years, Africa has recorded an average growth rate of 5.4 percent,  which is at par with the rest of the world.

He said that the ability to support, sustain and "diversify the sources of these growth indicators would be critical not only to Africa’s capacity to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but also to becoming an exciting investment destination for global capital.”

John Page, the World Bank’s Chief Economist for the Africa Region said that ADI 2007 finds that avoiding sharp declines in GDP growth was critical to Africa’s economic recovery.

"Avoiding growth collapses is key to accelerating progress towards the MDGs in Africa,” he explained

"Greater integration with the global economy especially through export trade, are characteristics common to all African countries that have recorded sustained growth.  

These, according to the ADI, largely explain the aggregate efficiency levels and investment volumes – comparable to India and Vietnam – recorded by these countries,” Ezekwesili added.

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